Paper Details

Abstract

Abstract Green vegetation in residential and industrial areas provides a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to mitigating air pollution. Therefore, selecting suitable plant species for developing green belts is crucial. This study evaluated nine plant species across four sites within Siddharthanagar Municipality—industrial, roadside, residential, and garden areas—during the winter and monsoon seasons of 2024. The effects of dust pollution on leaf morphology were examined in January (winter) and June (monsoon). The industrial, roadside, and residential areas were categorized as polluted sites, while the garden area represented a less polluted site. Dust accumulation on Tectona grandis leaves was highest at industrial and roadside sites in both seasons, attributed to its broad, rough, and hairy leaf surface. The greatest reduction in leaf area was recorded for Dalbergia sissoo (75.91%) at the industrial site during winter and for Tectona grandis (64.15%) at the roadside site during the monsoon. Specific Leaf Area (SLA) was lower in plants from industrial and roadside areas compared to those from garden sites in both seasons. Species such as Azadirachta indica, Ficus religiosa, Psidium guajava, and Saraca asoca exhibited the least reduction in leaf traits, indicating their potential suitability for urban green belt development to mitigate dust pollution.

To Cite This Article